Growing up my uncle Richard Allen called me RAT. It has stuck with me all my life.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the year of the rat.

I am hoping that in keeping with the Chinese zodiac that this will bring good fortune in the job hunt.

A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find.